# Middle East diplomacy
Latest news and articles about Middle East diplomacy
Total: 3 articles found
Gulf States Coax Washington Back to the Table — Iran Talks Restored, Moved to Oman
After urgent lobbying by multiple Middle Eastern leaders, the U.S. agreed to restore Iran talks scheduled for February 6 and move the meeting to Oman. Regional pressure sought to prevent a cancellation that might have increased the likelihood of military action, but U.S. officials remain sceptical about the talks' prospects.
Fragile Diplomacy: U.S. and Iran Agree to Oman Talks as Naval Confrontations Raise Stakes
The United States and Iran agreed to hold direct talks in Oman after Tehran demanded bilateral, nuclear-focused negotiations and shifted the venue from Turkey. Hours before the talks, a U.S. warplane shot down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln and U.S. forces escorted a tanker away from Iranian vessels, underscoring how fragile the diplomatic opening is and how quickly it could be ruptured by maritime incidents.
Saudi Neutrality Stalls U.S. Strike Plans — China’s 2023 Diplomacy Reaps Immediate Payoff
A phone call between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, backed by a clear Saudi pledge to block use of its territory or airspace for attacks on Iran, has stalled U.S. contingency plans for strikes. China’s mediation that produced the 2023 Beijing Statement provided the communication channels that enabled the de-escalatory move, underscoring Beijing’s rising diplomatic leverage in the Middle East.